Time To Heal
by xtremesnapefan
Summary: Rose gets hurt pretty badly while on a trip with the Doctor, and it's up to him to heal her.
1. Chapter 1

The Doctor carried Rose swiftly and as quickly as his lanky legs would allow him. Get out of reach of them first, that was the first priority. The TARDIS wasn't too far, maybe thirty yards away, his coat billowing behind him as he ran. He grunted as he jumped over a particularly large root in his path, narrowly dodging an arrow aimed for him.  
>Rose sucked in a sharp breath at that, though unconscious, pain hitting her all over at the slight jostle. The Doctor frowned, muttering a low "sorry, I'm so sorry," to her in an attempt to soothe her.<p>

He reached the doors if the TARDIS and awkwardly held Rose up with his right leg propped up against the blue box, his right arm supporting the lot of her. Fishing for the TARDIS key in his pocket, he fumbled with it slightly before shoving it in the lock furiously. He pushed the doors open harshly, slamming them shut behind him as he ran towards the console. The Doctor lay Rose down gently on the captain's chair, his brow furrowing as she whimpered in pain.  
><em>-Medusa Cascade-<em> he thought._ -The Medusa Cascade will be perfectly safe.-_ Manuevering the TARDIS as steadily as he could so that Rose would not be jostled during flight, he parked it in the depths of deep space and gazed at Rose sorrowfully. She was hurt, and it was all his fault. He picked her up wedding-style, and carried her gently to the med-bay.

He lay her down on the bed as carefully as he could, but still her face contorted in pain, her unconscious brain still perfectly receptive to her nerve endings, and therefore, pain. The Doctor frowned, his brow furrowing with worry and guilt as he ran his thumb across her sweat soaked forehead in an attempt to comfort her, but she winced at his touch as well, causing his frown to deepen.

"I am so, so sorry, Rose." he muttered once more as he began an examination of her body, moving with gentle, prodding fingers over bones and joints. _-Dislocated shoulder-_ he noted to himself_ -broken leg, and-_ he took out his sonic screwdriver, a high pitched whine emitting from it as he scanned her chest_ -three broken ribs, and massive bruising...-_ he frowned. Of course he'd have to wait for Rose to wake up to see if she had any other pains that he had missed, but he had taken note of every ailment he had found. He thought back to earlier in their trip.

_He'd taken her to Kincsag-6 a planet inhabited by a race called the Torrorben. Torrorben had a reputation for being particularly nasty to foreigners, taking them captive for questioning, and it was not surprising if they were executed. But Kincsag-9 was a breathtakingly beautiful planet, and he'd wanted to show off to her, and, well, what better way than to take her to a planet who's beauty nearly rivalled her own? So the Doctor had decided he would land in an uninhibited area, that was not yet settled. Well, that's where he had thought he was landing, anyway. As it turned out, the Torrorben had been hunting in the area, and stumbled upon them. Rose and he were shot with tranquillising darts and captured. The compound's effects were immediate for Rose, but only partially effective on the Doctor. Yes, he had been immobilised, but he still retained his consciousness. Their captors led them to separate rooms, and the Doctor silently swore to himself that he would rescue her._

He shook his head sharply, bringing himself back to the present. Rose was injured and it was_ his_ fault._ All his fault!_ The time lord growled angrily at himself, feeling as thought he had completely failed her. But this was not the time for self loathing, no, he could do that later. This was the time for healing, it was the least he could do for her. And he would do more than the least he could do. So much_ more_.

The Doctor wiped her arm clean of the sweat and dirt that inhabited it, inserting an IV into the appendage as painlessly as he could. He knew that if Rose was still suffering from the after-effects of the dart, her nerves would be hypersensitive to everything that stimulated them, including the needle he had just stuck into her arm. His suspicion was confirmed when her jaw involuntarily clenched at his action.

The time lord's shoulders slumped in guilt, mumbling to himself as he smoothed down a stray strand of hair over her forehead. "Sorry, I'm so sorry..." he trailed off, repeating himself, constantly mouthing the phrase even if the words failed to come out of his mouth. The Doctor's stomach stirred naseoulatingly as he tried, to the best of his ability, to clean her wounds. Her left leg needed to be set back in place, and his teeth found his way to worrying at his lower lip before he managed to kiss her forehead in a soothing manner. He increased the dosage of painkillers in her IV, knowing that it was going to hurt her regardless, due to the hypersensitive nerves. The Time Lord could wait it out, but that would risk the bone beginning to heal in the wrong position, which would cause him to have to break it and reset her whole leg. Yes, it was a better idea to do it now while she was unconscious, regardless of the nerve issue. He sighed. "Rose, I am so sorry, I really am... But this..." he paused, as though she could hear him "it's going to hurt." Using a majority of his strength, he applied severe pressure to her leg until a loud crack was heard, signalling that the bone was set correctly. Wrapping it tightly in medicated gauze, he ran a hand through her hair, his touch so gentle that she probably would not have felt him there without her over sensitive nerve endings. Unconsciously, she leaned her head to his hand, craving more of the soothing touch.

He looked at her sadly, disentangling his hand from her blonde strands and preparing himself to deal with her shoulder. The Doctor closed his eyes and took a deep breath._ -Compose yourself,-_ he thought _-clinical now, compassionate later. Help her. Detach yourself. Heal her,_- he coached himself roughly. Nodding to himself, he applied pressure to her shoulder until it popped back into place, rubbing circles on the joint absentmindedly with his thumb. Wrapping that in gauze as well, he studied his handiwork so far._ -Brilliant,-_ he thought_ -well, I'm called the Doctor for a reason, of course,-_ he began to run his fingers through her hair again, though this time he was completely clinical, checking for any head wounds, lacerations, or bruises. Finding a particularly large bump, he frowned. The traveler pulled his sonic screwdriver from his pocket, and used the light to view and scan her pupils.

_-Dilated, that's not good... The medication! Painkillers. Concussion. Bad. Oh this is very bad!-_ he scrambled for the regulator for her medication, lowering it until it was barely anything in her system. If she woke up... She'd be in immense pain. Hell, she was probably in it now, but he couldn't risk putting her in a coma.

After he'd decided that he was calm enough to keep treating her and that she was no longer in _too_ much risk of falling into a coma, he rubbed a regenerative tissue salve on her forearms and midsection, for they were scattered with small cuts and bruises. Finishing his work, he pulled up a blanket to her shoulders and tucked her in, kissing her forehead a second time. He placed his fingers on her temples, scanning her mind and slowly pushing her into a dormant, healing state. She needed rest, and he would make sure she got it.

Plopping himself down in a chair next to her, checking her vitals every so often to make sure she was okay. He ran a hand over his face, resting it over his mouth in an anxious habit._ -I'm getting old-_ he thought cynically. The Time Lord laughed mentally and ran a hand through the hair on the back of his head, crossing his legs and watching Rose with a certain concern. She would be okay. She had to be. But she had to rest first. For now, he would wait.


	2. Chapter 2

The Doctor blinked his eyes open blearily, taking in his surroundings as they came into focus. -Med Bay- he realized nearly instantaneously. _-Heart monitor-_ he thought, brow furrowing._ -My heart would be double the...Rose!-_

Jumping to his feet with a newfound energy, he began checking her pulse for his own sanity, just to be one hundred percent sure that the data the machines were spewing out was correct. Of course, the possibility that his own technology was incorrect was practically nonexistent, but he checked none the less, needing the assurance that Rose was actually there. Placing his fingers on her temples, he pulled her out of the sleep enough for her to be able to wake up on her own accord, when her body was ready.

He stood, washing his hands in a nearby sink and splashing cold water on his face. Pulling off his jacket and loosening his tie, he looked at Rose worriedly.  
>The Doctor placed the back of his hand over her forehead, checking for fever. Her temperature was slightly elevated, but not high enough to worry him any more than he already was. The time lord took a cool rag from a bowl near her bedside, and wiped her forehead and face with it gently.<br>What if she'd obtained an illness native to that planet?_ -Oh, Rassilion...-_ he thought in a panic, running a hand through his hair in an anxious tendency.  
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<p>

Rose hissed as she felt a sharp stab in the crook of her arm. She began to sit up in panic, but a firm, steady hand held her down.  
>"Sh-sh-sh..." the voice soothed. "It'll be over in a minute, keep still."<br>She opened her eyes and immediately shut them; the light in the room was blinding. Colorful sparks danced behind her eyelids. There was a significant pressure in the crook of her arm and she squirmed. It was most uncomfortable, indeed.

"Sorry... Lights low." he commanded. "Try again, sweetheart," the voice encouraged, smooth tones washing over her. "I'll be finished with your arm in a moment."  
>She opened her eyes hesitantly, and blinked them open fully when her sense wasn't assaulted with light. Her vision was blurry, nomatter how many times she blinked in attempt to clear her vision. Rose saw the quick flash of a needle's reflection before the man placed it on the table behind him and pressed down a cotton ball where the needle had been only moments ago. The pressure was uncomfortable, but not unbearable, as he held down the cotton, taping it to her arm in a sort of makeshift bandaid.<br>She tried to sit up, but again the man held her down gently. "Sh-sh... Not just yet, Rose."

What? How could he know her name? Last she remembered, she was in that cell, being tortured. She'd blacked out after that. The heart monitor showed her increasing panic, a series of faster beeps emanating from it. His face contorted in a frown, but her vision was blurry. She couldn't make out specifics. "Rose. Rose, can you hear me? Talk to me. It's okay, I'm right here."

"W...where am I?" she rasped out, her throat dry and her voice hoarse.

"In the TARDIS," he began, then paused, stroking her hand in a protective manner. the heart monitor began to slow down, and the man took notice. "Rose, you're safe now, alright? Nowhere near that planet. In the Medusa Cascade, actually. Every security measure taken. You're the safest person in the universe right now. Weeeeell, me included of course." he ran a hand through her hair. "Just me, Rose. The Doctor. You'll be alright. I promise."

"D-Doctor..." she breathed airily, closing her eyes and leaning towards his hand. He smiled and continued to run his fingers through her locks, content at the peace it was bringing her. "The one and only," he replied, smirking. He sat up, moving his hand to her forehead. "C'mon, you need fluids."

She shook her head slightly, whispering "tired".  
>He let out an exasperated sigh. "Still. You need something in your system." he explained. "You can sleep after you drink this."<p>

She groaned in annoyance.

The time lord reached behind him to reveal a tall glass of water. He pulled out a packet from his pocket and stirred it into the glass, the powder dissolving and causing the water to turn purple.

He gently propped a few pillows behind her so that she could drink the liquid without issue. She hissed at the action, clearly still sore. Plopping a bendy straw in the glass, he grinned his signature grin and brought it to her lips.

She shook her head. "Stomach hurts," she mumbled, blushing. She gasped in surprise as images flashed through her head at an alarming pace_-__ vomiting in the cellar due to an additive in the water they gave her-** sitting on the floor, crying** **-being hit so hard that her shoulder popped out of place**_**-**

"Rose! Rose, can you hear me? Come on, look at me. Follow the light. Back to reality." The Doctor prattled off worriedly, using his sonic screwdriver to focus her as well as check her pupils. Still a bit more dilated that he was comfortable with. She had a dazed look on her face that the time lord did not like one bit.  
>He held her head in his hands, forcing Rose to look at him. The time lord lightly tapped her cheek in an attempt to bring her out of her lapse. His mouth pressed in a line of determination as he brought their foreheads to touch, whispering soft words to her in Gallifreyan, and easing her out of her fit as safely as possible. She blinked a few times, practically panting in her panic, and began to cry. The Doctor pulled her into his arms, holding her protectively. "Sh-sh-sh...it's alright. Everything will be okay. I'm right here." His presence and the sound of his double heartbeat began to soothe her into a calmer state.<p>

She began to wipe at her eyes with her good arm, but the Doctor brushed her arm away gently, taking care of it himself. He held her close to his chest and pulled something out of the drawer beside her. He knew. He knew exactly what she had seen, what she had been through. The telepathic abilities of his race had allowed him to see. The lining of her stomach was probably gone from all the vomiting. He ripped the packet open with his teeth, holding it to her lips. "Swallow this, it'll help," squeezing some of the gel out of the packet, he watched sympathetically as she fought to swallow it. He knew it didn't taste good. It wasn't meant to. And the texture, well, he nearly gagged himself thinking about it. But it would help her.

A cough erupted as she tried to finish the contents of the package. Her chest felt as if it were on fire. "sh-sh..." he rubbed her back in small circles, relieving the tension of the muscles. He held the glass of purple liquid to her face, "small sips," he instructed.  
>She sucked on the straw tentatively and reveled in the sweet, sugary taste. After the gel, this was a<em> godsend<em>. Rose swallowed as much as the straw would physically allow her to get in her mouth, greedily drinking it.

"Ah-ah-ah," the Doctor warned, pulling the glass out of reach. "Can't go chugging the whole thing in one go, you'll make yourself sick."  
>She pouted at him, glancing from his face, to the glass in his hand. Raising an eyebrow, her tongue found her way between her teeth in a hopeful grin. His eyebrow mirrored her own and warned "sips, Rose." before bringing the glass to her lips once more.<br>Rose did as she was instructed, knowing better than to disobey him at the moment.

The time traveler pulled the glass away again and felt her forehead, checking her temperature. "Mmm... Still warm. Gone down a bit, though. That's good." he smiled at Rose, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She snuggled into his shoulder in response, mumbling a tired response of 'thirsty,' to him. He chuckled, absentmindedly stirring the liquid with the straw before giving it to her again. "Sips." he reminded her, and she nodded in acknowledgement.

He smiled at her and used his sonic screwdriver to speed up some tests he had running. She winced at the high pitch, and he apologized, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple as he pulled a screen towards him. Pulling his glasses out of his pocket, he shoved them on his face, his brow furrowed in concentration as he read the results.  
><em>-Poison's nearly run it's course...-<em> he thought, smiling to himself.

He pulled her into his arms as he continued to hold her drink for her, "You'll feel better soon, Rose." he hesitated, his worry at possible future issues taking over for a brief moment. What if...no, nothing could happen. He was sure of it.

The Doctor let out a breath he hadn't been aware he had been holding and said with utmost confidence and certainty, "I promise."


End file.
